Welcome food lovers of Georgia! This blog will focus on reviews of Atlanta area restaurants, bars and specialty foods or grocery stores. The restaurants reviewed will feature many different types of food in all price ranges. I will not be reviewing chain restaurants. I will also pose general food questions, indicated by the heading "Food For Thought". "Special Features" will highlight food purveyors in the South. Please use it to your advantage, and contribute comments that will benefit others.

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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Road Trip: Dahlonega, GA - Wylies

My dad and stepmom, Vickie, live on the outskirts of Dahlonega, GA, about an hour and a half from Atlanta. I spent the weekend with them, and this morning we drove into historic Dahlonega. It was a beautiful day, cool for summer, and the exterior of the restaurant was charming. Seemed like the perfect time for brunch on a patio.

First let me say that we arrived at Wylies mainly due to the lack of choices on Sunday morning. Wylies was one of the only two restaurants within walking distance that was open before noon, and my dad and Vickie had already had a less than stellar experience at the other place.

The good news is that we were indeed seated on the patio, and the service was very cordial, exactly what you would expect in a small, Southern town. The names of the six selections on the breakfast menu were often cute (The Gold Rush breakfast), capitalizing on local lore.

The bad news is that the food was lacking in every area. It wasn't terrible, but I can't say it was good, or even average.

Daddy ordered the French toast, which was attractively presented with powdered sugar and decent quality, warm maple syrup. He liked it, but I think he's a little biased because he rarely gets to enjoy such a sugary breakfast. When I tried it I thought it was bland, and the toast itself was thin. Vickie ordered eggs with home fries and a biscuit. I had high hopes for the biscuit, considering that this was Dahlonega, but I was disappointed in the lack of flavor. Pillsbury biscuits, which I use as my standard because everyone in America has had a Pillsbury biscuit at some point and can easily remember how it tastes, are shoulders and above the biscuits served at Wylies.

I ordered the breakfast burrito, which came with a choice of home fries or queso grits. I asked our waiter which he would recommend, and he immediately indicated the home fries. If the home fries are really the better of the two, than I grieve for the poor grits. I have never had worse home fries in any restaurant. They were puny, dark rounds that must have been fried twice as long as necessary. The burrito could be made with my choice of sausage, bacon or ham, and I chose sausage. This was a mistake. The sausage was hard and lackluster. The burrito itself contained very little eggs and only a few tablespoons of black beans, leaving me mainly with American cheese (far from my favorite, but no other choices were available) and tortilla. Although Wylies' website claims it's a steakhouse, our waiter informed us that they "are known for their breakfasts." All I could think was: really?

Also, I asked for a copy of the menu twice, and although I was assured both times that I would receive it I never did. The restaurant wasn't especially crowded, so I can't really understand how our waiter made this double omission. Maybe he had a premonition that I was already too much of a negative opinion about the meal to be placated.

On the bright side, everything was really cheap. Each meal was under $7. At least you won't be spending too much to be unhappy with your meal.

Verdict: Unworthy of such a prime location in quaint Dahlonega square. If you're in the area on Sunday morning, wait until noon when you'll have more dining choices, and go elsewhere for your meal.